Therapeutic appliances



Sept. 23, 1958 H. M. SUMNER THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCES Filed Feb. 26, 1957 United States Patent THERAPEUTIC APPLIANCES Helen M. Sumner, Louisville, Ky. Application February 26, 1957, Serial No. 642,556

3 Claims. (Cl. 128399) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in therapeutic appliances, and the principal object of the invention is to facilitate a simple, convenient and highly efiective treatment of arthritis of the hands.

As is well known, the use of heat in the treatment of arthritis produces beneficial results, as does exercise of the affected parts of the body. However, in conventional practice it is not always convenient or possible to apply heat in the presence of exercise, and vice versa.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the provision of means whereby hands affected by arthritis may be simultaneously subjected to exercise and to the effects of heat, so as to derive the combined benefit of the two forms of treatment.

Another feature of the invention lies in its self-contained nature which permits it to be used without connection to any external source of energy. As such, the invention is well adapted for use in the home, without requiring any special equipment or facilities.

Another feature of the invention resides in its simplicity of construction and in its simple operation, whereby the same may be used by the patient himself or herself, without requiring special services of attendants.

With the above more important objects and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the invention in use.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the therapeutic appliance in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a spherical body 11 of metallic material, removably positioned in a fabric jacket 12.

To facilitate positioning and removal of the body in and from the jacket, the latter has an openable mouth portion for the passage of the body therethrough. The mouth portion of the jacket is turned upon itself and stitched as indicated at 13 to form a hem 14, in which is slidably positioned a draw string 15. The ends of the draw string may be joined together by a knot 16, and it will be apparent from the foregoing that when the draw string is tightened, the mouth portion of the jacket 12 will be closed to retain the body 11 in place.

When the appliance is to be used, the body 11 is removed from the jacket 12 and is pre-heated in any suitable manner, such as for example, by placing the same in an oven or in hot water. Thereupon, the body is placed in the jacket and, with the jacket thereon, is held between clasped hands as shown in Figure 3, so that heat is transmitted to the hands from the heated body. At the same time, the appliance may be manipulated by the hands, that is, by flexing fingers around thesame, squeezing or pressing palms of the hands thereagainst, and the like, so that the hands are subjected to exercise at the same time as heat is being applied thereto. In this manner, hands affected by arthritis will receive the benefit of both heat and exercise simultaneously, for most effective results.

' It is preferred that the body 11 be pre-heated to a temperature of approximately 200 F. The fabric jacket 12, when positioned on the body, affords a certain amount of insulation so that the hands do not come in direct contact with the heated body, yet at the same time suflicient heat passes from the body throughthe jacket to the hands. The removability of the body from the jacket permits the body to be pre-heated without any possibility of damaging the jacket by heat or moisture.

The metallic material of the body 11 not only possesses good heat conducting properties, but also provides a solid mass for manipulation and exercise of the hands. It is preferred that the body be of substantial weight for this reason, and iron or lead may thus be used in the formation thereof. The spherical shape of the body facilitates convenient positioning thereof between clasped hands, it being noted that the body is of such diameter, approximately 2 inches, so that it is sufficiently bulky yet not large enough to render manipulation thereof a clumsy task.

It will be also observed that once the body is preheated, the appliance assumes an entirely self-contained nature which permits it to be used without any connection to an external source of energy such as electric outlets or the like. As such, the device is well adapted for the combined heating and exercising treatment for which it is intended, since no electric cords or other connections are present to interfere with manipulation of the appliance while exercising takes place.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A self-contained therapeutic appliance for the treatment of arthritis and the like, comprising: a rigid and solid body taking the form of a completely spherical and completely solid ball of metallic material having a specific gravity at least several times unity and of high thermal conductivity and adapted to be pre-heated; and an insulating jacket removably positioned in close exterior enclosing engagement around said completely spherical and completely solid and rigid metallic ball and having an openable mouth for passage of said ball therethrough, and having a draw string in engagement with said openable mouth of said jacket for closing same; said completely spherical and completely solid rigid metallic ball and said jacket closely enclosing same having a diameter less than the hand width of a patient such as to conveniently fit between and be forcibly manipulated by clasped and partially closed hands of a patient.

2. A self-contained therapeutic appliance for the treatment of arthritis and the like, comprising: a rigid and solid body taking the form of a completely sperical and completely solid ball of metallic material having a specific gravity at least several times unity and of high thermal conductivity and adapted to be pre-heated; and

a fabric jacket removabl y positioned in close exterio enclosing engagement around said completely spherical and completely solid and rigid metallic ball and having an openable mouth for passage of said ball therethrough, n h n a dra string in e emaa it said 119 1 able. m h o s id k t lbs ng sa s sa p t sp al an le y olid'r sislfieta ia all and a d ia s l sely f l n s mehavia a iam ts s t e a d idt o ap t sint and r ater t at? q a h b d h 0 at ent s shf'as .=9' veniently fit between and be .forqibly manipulated by clasped and partially closed handof a patient. i i A ss f con era q ti RRll lQ QI h e m nt of a hr fi d t ke e x inris n a ma inated rigid n lid bod t kin h f rm a wranls l sa t cal and completely solid ball vof metallicmaterial of high herma q n' i an snseifi r vit t least c fal tim unity; and a ab ia j etxinovab .assi ion tl in close exterior enclosing engagement around said compatient such as to conveniently fit between and be forcibly manipulated by clasped and partially closed hands of a patient.

Referen e C te i h le o th patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,350 Hans Apr. 4, 1899 879,516 Cantwell Feb. 18, 1908 796,463 Blanchard Sept. 6, 1904 m -ml 

